Gender roles in fandoms and literature
I can imagine that homosexuals and lesbians find it hard to identify with characters in mainstream novels, tv series and movies. I find it hard to identify with the wimpy, half-naked girls that abound in movies. Even a physically strong female character like Buffy feels wrong, because of her lack of intelligence and her wimpyness. Tough and wimpy at the same time. What a strange combination. Veronica Mars is an excellent tv series, but the little blonde girl who plays the main character isn’t really someone I can identify with.
It would be really refreshing to see more tough female characters, especially ones that don’t degrade themselves by wearing skimpy clothes. I’m not saying female characters need to look like nuns. It would be quite enough if they simply wore ordinary, tight-fitting t-shirts, as long as it isn’t ridiculously low cut and as long as it covers the belly. Hipsters are an abomination.
What would really appeal to me is books, tv series and movies where men are being exploited just a little bit more. Not only in ‘gay’ series and movies, but also in ‘straight’ fandoms. You actually get the impression that gay people are negative to the straight world. I’d be the last one to claim it’s perfect, but I don’t think you need to go as far as to condemn heterosexuality. Would all these gay activists like it if their parents too had been gay? If so, what if they’d never had any kids? Isn’t there room for everyone?
Personally, I’m not proud of or ashamed of my sexual preference. I was born with it. No more am I proud or ashamed of being nearsighted, good at spelling or at learning languages. The only thing I am proud of is becoming a vegan and maybe also of my writing, not because I was born with the ability or tendency to make up stories, but simply because I’ve worked hard on improving on that trait. The same goes for my knowledge of languages. I wasn’t just born with the ability to pick up other languages, I have worked really hard to learn and practice the languages I’ve studied.
